Canadian Guider Fall 2018

Canadian

FA L L 2 0 1 8

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Girls First

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Remembrance Day

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Girl Assistants

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Guider Get-Togethers

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Large Units

YOUR GGC

Hello Rangers and Guiders,

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Why girl-driven matters . . .

ith fall comes the start of the Guiding year. This year, the excitement is next-level, as girls and Guiders begin exploring our new Girls First program. The program is a powerful evolution of what has always made Guiding unique – a pro-girl environment, in which girls lead, are heard, valued and respected, and a safe place where they can explore, on their own terms, what’s happening in their world.

Girls First is designed to be girl-driven – and girl-driven is really at the core of our organization’s focus. It enables girls to customize their Guiding experience, as they dive into the topics that are truly relevant to them. Working with a team of other girls, they can choose the exciting hands-on activities that interest them the most, becoming more empowered as they move through the program.

On page 4, members share with us what girl-driven means to them and why they’re excited about the Girls First program.

The range of responses reflects many important touchpoints of what girls told us they wanted – from an emphasis on inclusion, access and diversity to trading in adult control of the program for girl-led ideas, forums and activities. Perhaps the most descriptive example of why girl-driven matters so much and how Girls First is so perfectly aligned with girls’ lives today comes from one Guider who shared that, “In a world where schedules rule so many of us, we are empowering girls to choose their own paths and experiences.”

Also in this issue of Canadian Guider…

• Discover what one Girl Assistant learned about herself while mentoring younger girls – and how Guiders can make Girl Assistants part of their unit (page 14).

• Our chocolatey mint Girl Guide cookie box has a fresh new look – with images that showcase the Guiding experience (page 27).

• One Guider shares her tips for managing larger units.

P.S. It starts with asking the girls what they want to do! (page 28).

• From new Guiders to new Commissioners to Rangers becoming Guiders, members share their personal stories about taking on new Guiding roles (page 38).

Yours in Guiding,

Krysta Jill Guiding Ambassador CEO, Girl Guides of Canada

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CANADIAN GUIDER | FALL 2018

CONTENTS Features

Photo: Saajid Sam Motala

4 The New Girls First Program

8 Girl Guides and Remembrance Day

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10 Remembrance Day Projects and Activities for Units 12 WAGGGS in Ethiopia and Mozambique 16 Connecting with Politicians 18 Guider Get-Togethers

23 Girl-Led District Camps

38 Celebrating Guiding Firsts

And more....

2 Your GGC Photo: Wayne Eardley

14 Girl Assistants

20 GGC Youth Councils and Forums

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27 A Dynamic New Cookie Box Design 28 Managing Large Units

30 Guiding Experience in Post-Secondary Admissions 32 Weird and Wonderful Supplies 36 Girl Greatness Awards

Cover Photo: Van Chau

Illustration: ©iStock/MatiasEnElMundo

42 Scholarship Recipients 45 fyi

46 New GGC Board Chair and Members

30 Canadian Guider, Volume 88, No. 3, FALL 2018 • ISSN 0300-435X Published three times annually (Winter, Spring, Fall)

by Girl Guides of Canada–Guides du Canada, 50 Merton Street, Toronto, ON, M4S 1A3 416-487-5281 • 1-800-565-8111.

Web site: www.girlguides.ca • Email: cdnguider@girlguides.ca • Chair: Robyn McDonald • Chief Executive Officer: Jill Zelmanovits • Publisher: Girl Guides of Canada–Guides du Canada • Chair, Editorial Committee: Hilary Feldman • Supervisor, Communications: Catherine Campbell • Communications Specialist: Mary Vincent • Editor: Sharon Jackson • Art Director: Geraldine Withey • Associate Art Director: Ross Woolford • Annual membership fee includes a subscription to Canadian Guider. It is sent free to all registered adult members and Rangers. If you are a member and have an address change please notify iMIS in your provincial council office. If you are a paid subscriber and have an address change please notify the Canadian Guider directly, enclosing your Canadian Guider mailing label if possible. Send changes to Canadian Guider, Girl Guides of Canada–Guides du Canada, 50 Merton Street, Toronto, ON, M4S 1A3, Canada.

CANADIAN GUIDER | FALL 2018

Girl Guides of Canada–Guides du Canada (GGC) recognizes and values the richness of human diversity in its many forms, and therefore strives to ensure environments where girls and women from all walks of life, identities, and lived experiences feel a sense of belonging and can participate fully. This commitment to inclusion means GGC’s culture, programming, and practices encourage self-awareness and awareness of others; room for difference; and environments where girls and women feel safe, respected, supported, and inspired to reach their potential.

SUBSCRIPTIONS RATES: $12 per year inside Canada, $15 to USA, $20 overseas. Single copies $4.25 each. Canadian Publications Mail Product. Sales Agreement No. 40065172.

All submissions to the magazine become the property of the Girl Guides of Canada–Guides du Canada unless other arrangements are made prior to publication. Most articles and artwork in this magazine are owned by Girl Guides of Canada–Guides du Canada.

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A Girl-Driven GGC Program

T

his fall, we’re launching our new Girls First program and putting girls confidently in the driver’s seat of their Guiding experience. Through relevant, empowering and fun girl-driven programming, Girls First gives every girl

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in every branch an all-access pass to become everything she wants to be!

Girls First is a powerful evolution of what has always made Guiding unique. We offer a place where girls can experience that rarest of things – a girls-only, pro-girl environment, where they are heard, valued and respected.

Where they have the freedom to pursue their interests. Where every

leadership opportunity is open to them.

Where they feel free to talk about their experiences, thoughts and feelings, without fear of being judged or feeling like they have to hold back. And where they get to explore on their own terms what’s happening in their world today.

As girls collaborate in choosing what they want to achieve through the Girls First program, they’ll learn from their CANADIAN GUIDER | FALL 2018

Photos: Wayne Eardley

EVERYTHING SHE WANTS TO BE

successes and failures, build new skills, and experience the thrill of discovering for themselves what really matters to them. And they will decide for themselves what impact they want to make in their communities, and what difference they want to make in the world.

The result? A greater sense of confidence, the ability to claim every space as one where girls belong, and the encouragement of a strong female mentorship and peer network that will help them soar in whatever paths they choose.

Supporting girls every step of the way are our volunteers – female role models committed to positively impacting girls’ lives and to encouraging girls to empower each other.

In their own words, Guiders share with us what girl-driven means to them and why they’re excited about the new Girls First program.

“Giving the girls a VOICE.” “Being at the foref ront of empowerment for girls all across Canada… and beyond.”

“Girls First means supporting girls, understanding their needs, listening, and being open!”

“The abili ty to empower young girls to be the leaders of tomorrow, by giving them more leadership skills early on.”

CANADIAN GUIDER | FALL 2018

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EVERYTHING SHE WANTS TO BE

“In a world where schedules rule so many of us, we are empowering girls to choose their own paths and experiences.”

“The opportuni ty for inclusion.”

Photos: Wayne Eardley; Pride Photo: Saajid Sam Motala

“An explici t emphasis on access, diversi ty and social justice, wi th girls at the foref ront.”

“The opportuni ty for individuali ty and individual growth.”

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CANADIAN GUIDER | FALL 2018

“Encouraging girls leading girls.”

“Flexibili ty and potential.”

“Helping girls experience things they never would have tried wi thout being in Guiding.”

“I love that Girls First encourages girls leading girls.”

“Girl-driven - i t’s amazing what they can do.”

“Trading in our control of the program for our girls’ growth in themselves.”

“Sometimes Guiding can just be about setting aside the plan in favour of more time to have f un or explore.”

CANADIAN GUIDER | FALL 2018

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SERVICE

Lest We Forget Girl Guides and Remembrance Day This year’s Remembrance Day observances will be especially memorable, as we acknowledge the 100th anniversary of Armistice Day, marking the end of the First World War on November 11, 1918.

Throughout the country, Guiding members will join their communities to honour those who have served and acknowledge our responsibility to work for the peace they fought to accomplish. Remembrance Day can also provide an opportunity to discover Guiding’s own community service during wartime and beyond.

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CANADIAN GUIDER | FALL 2018

Photo: ©iStock/bgfoto

B Y K AT H R Y N LYO N S

C

anadian Girl Guide members have always served their communities.

With Canada’s involvement in the First and Second World Wars, they were particularly active in community work supporting the nation’s war effort.

Photo: courtesy RCAF Archival Collection

The First World War (1914-1918) began just a few years after Girl Guides were formed. Adult and girl members were keen to help the war effort and, even though times have changed, their actions are not that different from some of today’s Girl Guide service projects and activities.

• In 1914, Girl Guides in Dauphin, MB, collected and shipped clothes to Belgian refugees.

• In February 1916, Girl Guides in Vancouver used “self-denial” envelopes to raise $20 (worth about $370 today) for a Prisoners of War Fund.

• Girl Guides in Ottawa staged an elaborate fundraising operetta called, “Princess Chrysanthemum,” in 1918.

• Girl Guides in Burnaby, BC, collected 3,000 magazines for soldiers.

• Girl Guides throughout the country picked tons of wild fruit to contribute to the food supply.

Guides also felt the war’s effect on their families. In Winnipeg, 12-year-old Doris Young wrote, “I am trying to help win the war by attending Girl Guide meetings.

We go every Monday and knit for the soldiers… All my uncles are at war except one, who is too old to go. One of them has been killed, one wounded and the rest are in the trenches…”

At war’s end, Girl Guides became a fixture on Armistice Day (now Remembrance Day), making wreaths and marching in parades with returning soldiers, military cadets and Boy Scouts.

The Second World War (1939-1945) saw Girl Guide members just as eager to support the war effort and assist refugees.

• Canadian and Newfoundland Guides contributed $12,882 ($211,000 in today’s currency) towards the purchase of two air ambulances, mobile canteens, and a lifeboat.

• Girl Guides warmly welcomed girls who had been evacuated from England, and arranged for them to join summer Guide camps.

• In St. Walburg, SK, a Girl Guide group helped refugees in the transition to their new lives. Several of the refugee girls had been Girl Guides in Czechoslovakia before the war.

• In Nanaimo, BC, Brownies collected 300 old felt hats to be recycled into sailors’ vests.

CANADIAN GUIDER | FALL 2018

Girl Guide Members in the Military The Second World War created new opportunities for women to serve in the military. Many young women who had been Girl Guides excelled in these roles.

Willa Walker was one of them – a Guide for six years, and a Guider in Montreal, she joined the Women’s Division of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), and quickly became its first commanding officer.

Lifelong Guiding member Eileen Hassett, of Vancouver, also joined the RCAF. She was in London during the Battle of Britain, serving in a burn treatment program. Once a week, she also ran a Girl Guide unit, biking to East London to meet with the girls on a rooftop, surrounded by bombed-out buildings.

Few of the girls had uniforms; their shoes were worn through; and they had missed months of school during the bombing. But they showed up and shone brilliantly at Girl Guides, enthusiastically doing first aid drills, learning signaling and singing songs. Eileen’s Canadian songs especially delighted them. “Once a Girl Guide, always a Girl Guide,” she said, and when she returned to BC, she became a Guide and Brownie Guider and a District Commissioner.

Girl Guides and War Refugees The Second World War affected millions of civilians, and their needs were great at the end of the war. In 1945, Girl Guides established the Canadian World Friendship Fund (CWFF), to help children affected by that war, to spread Guiding, and to promote peace and goodwill. The CWFF is still going strong, with units throughout Canada contributing to it every year, as well as welcoming newcomers and refugees in local communities. And Girl Guides continue to connect with members of Canada’s military, both at home and while deployed in conflicts and peacekeeping operations around the world.

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SERVICE

We Remember Projects and Activities for Units

There are lots of ways for units to mark Remembrance Day. History, Heritage, Ceremonies and Symbols

Photo: ©iStock/bgfoto

Photo: courtesy Mary Musson

Maybe your unit is interested in exploring what life was like during the war years?

• Visit a military-themed museum, or heritage site in your community.

• Send away for materials from the Veterans Affairs website: veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance • Get a taste – literally – by baking wartime recipes.

• Rent a Guiding Heritage Box and heritage uniforms. See if your provincial office has any Canadian Guiding badges and insignia resources related to wartime work.

• Teach the girls (or invite a guest to teach them) a wartime Guide skill, such as knitting, mending, Morse Code or motor repair. “Last year, we talked first about Girl Guides during the war and what they did,” says Guider Rose Hardie, of Kingston. “Afterwards, we did related activities, including spy training for younger girls, using Kim’s Games, Don’t Wake the Leader activities and string mazes. Older girls did a coded scavenger hunt.”

• Use your own knowledge and experience to build girls’ engagement with Remembrance Day. Mary Musson (pictured on the right), a retired CAF Sergeant and a Guider in Binbrook, ON, enjoys talking about her military service. “The opportunity to share firsthand knowledge with the girls is amazing,” she says. “Their initial reaction on discovering that Tawny Owl was in the army is ‘How cool is that?!’ When I can demystify why it is so important, it’s gratifying to see how Remembrance Day becomes no longer just another day in the girls’ minds.”

Do uniforms, insignia and poppy wreaths interest your unit?

• Wear Guiding uniforms on Remembrance Day, at ceremonies and at school and work. “Wearing the uniform on Remembrance Day is clearly a sign of respect for veterans, but it is also a recognition of all

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Connecting with Veterans and Current CAF Members • Invite a veteran or Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) member to your meeting.

Find speakers through The Memory Project (thememoryproject.com) or your local Legion branch.

• Write postcards to serving CAF members. Go to “Contacting CAF Members“ at: forces.gc.ca/en/about/faq.page • Send “Valentines for Vets,” care of Veterans Affairs. You can find information at: bit.ly/2N5sd6b • Donate a quilt to Quilts of Valour (quiltsofvalour.ca) – a project that provides injured CAF members with handmade comfort quilts.

• Crochet some little Izzy Dolls – named for Mark Isfeld, a Canadian peacekeeper killed removing landmines in Croatia. More than 1.3 million of these dolls have since comforted children in times of conflict or crisis. More information and the Izzy Doll pattern are available at: hpicanada.ca/izzy-dolls • Organize a Can’t Eat ‘Em, Treat ‘Em project. Two Guiders in Ottawa created this initiative that enables customers to donate Girl Guide cookies to be sent to veterans and to CAF members serving overseas.

Peace and Our Future Remembrance Day is also a day to look to the future and our commitment to work for peace: • Make peace doves: have girls trace their hands on a piece of white paper, cut it out, glue it on coloured paper, and write words or draw pictures that relate to peace, places where they feel peaceful, or things that make them feel peaceful.

• Connect with local refugee and newcomer centres. These organizations often support people who have fled conflict in their home countries.

Hearing from a guest speaker or visiting a local centre provides a valuable opportunity for girls to learn about Canada’s commitment to providing refuge and peace to those who need it.

• Learn about the work of contemporary and historical international peace-builders, such as Malala Yousafzai, Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela and Lester B. Pearson. Discuss their different backgrounds and perspectives.

• Light a candle for peace or share a moment of silence to think of those around the world who have not secured peace.

• Search for other activities in the Connect and Question resource in the Girls First program: bit.ly/2MValdp

Photo: courtesy Department of National Defence

the patriotic work Girl Guides did – and still do – during wartime and periods of conflict,” says Guider Natalie Taylor, of Whitehorse, YK. “Here in Yukon the Scouts and Guides sit with the dignitaries.”

• Attend a ceremony with your unit. Some units participate in parades, colour parties and wreath layings. “One of my best memories from this past year was asking a pair of brand new Guides to carry our wreath out with all the soldiers, veterans and other wreath layers,” recalls Guider Lynn Dooley Nolden, of Clandeboye, MB. “One was terrified because it is a huge arena with lots of people in attendance. But she did very well, and I got to tell her how proud I was of her for trying something new and doing a great job.”

Guider Jennifer Higgins Thorton, of Bedford, NS, says, “My family has strong ties to Guiding and Scouting, and attending both a church service and a community event to honour Remembrance Day is very important to us.”

A Remembrance Day Story

BY SARA MILLS

Remembrance Day means a lot to me because I have grown up in a military family, and I am proud of the service my dad gives this country. Many kids don’t know the significance as well as others, but my parents have made sure we understand why it is important to mark this day and remember all who have served and sacrificed for our country.

Throughout the past three years, my Pathfinder unit has made poppy wreaths and attended memorial services at local cenotaphs, where some of us have also presented wreaths. Last year, we each made the poppies from red and black paper and had the option of writing a name on them. I wrote my dad’s name because he was deployed overseas at the time.

Guiding is amazing and has helped me in many parts of my life. And, because of my dad’s deployment, the connection between the military and Guiding is especially present for me. Last year, a couple of units here started a program called, Can’t Eat ‘Em, Treat ‘Em. When selling our Girl Guide cookies, we offered customers the opportunity to donate boxes to CAF troops on deployment. Some of the cookies even made it to my dad in Kosovo!

Sara Mills is a Girl Guides of Canada Pathfinder.

A Guider in Ottawa, Kathryn Lyons, is a member of Canadian Guider Editorial Committee and works at the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa.

CANADIAN GUIDER | FALL 2018

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GO GLOBAL

Building a Member Organization

WAGGGS and the Ethiopian Girl Guides

BY SHELIZA ISMAIL

When I attended my first Sparks meeting more than 20 years ago, I could not have imagined that Guiding would eventually take me to Ethiopia, with the goal of laying the foundation for Girl Guides there. But Guiding did just that!

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ast April, I was invited to travel to Addis Ababa, as part of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) Rapid Response Team, whose mission was partly funded by the GGC Canadian World Friendship Fund (CWFF). This was an incredible opportunity for me to step up my Guiding knowledge and skills in a region that has always interested me. The experience was especially unique, as I had the privilege of being the first-ever Canadian representative to travel on a WAGGGS Rapid Response Team trip.

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Community Action Plans A session in which participants created community action plans for expanding the Ethiopian Girl Guide Movement and the UN Sustainable Development Goals made a particular impact on me. Three groups each came up with unique ideas on increasing gender equality, promoting peace, justice and strong institutions, and taking action against climate change. Many of the participants said this was the first time their experiences and ideas had been put towards a tangible plan, and they were thrilled with the opportunity to take on leadership roles with the project.

My involvement in this Rapid Response Team brought home the impact that WAGGGS has on women and girls around the globe. While back in Calgary, I find myself engaged with planning weekly activities, camps and cookie selling for my own Spark unit, my experience with the Ethiopian Girl Guides opened my eyes a little wider to the international side of Guiding and how the bond of sisterhood truly knows no limits.

Sheliza Ismail is a Guider in Calgary.

CANADIAN GUIDER | FALL 2018

Photo: courtesy Sheliza Ismail

Leadership and Action

The overall aim of the mission was to help the Ethiopian Girl Guides to become a full Member Organization (MO) by the next WAGGGS World Conference, in 2020. We arranged a training session that was attended by 20 women leaders from the community, including university students, educators and women working in both the public and private sectors.

Over the course of the four-day training, my co-facilitator and I ran workshops on WAGGGS and the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals. This included sessions on exploring how Girl Guides and Girl Scouts can be best organized in Ethiopia and how to recruit the first 100 members, as well as sessions on international opportunities and team building activities. Having just completed my degree in International Development a few weeks earlier, I was delighted to take a lead on many of the activities regarding the UN Sustainable Development Goals. They included sessions on community development and how to implement the goals within Ethiopia, and brainstorming sessions on the connections between WAGGGS and the UN.

GO GLOBAL

Creating Safe Spaces WAGGGS in Mozambique

BY ALISSA SALLANS

Photo: courtesy Alissa Sallans

A vital part of many WAGGGS training projects involves recognizing that Guiding is not the same all around the world, and that cultural norms, values and differences must be respected. I experienced this first-hand while taking part in a Guiding initiative in Mozambique.

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ast May, I was a GGC member of a WAGGGS Rapid Response Team helping to facilitate a training for local women to start up Guiding in Mozambique. Two other WAGGGS facilitators and I ran a three-day training for a group of 25 women from across Mozambique, all of whom share a passion for wanting to make a difference in the lives of girls.

Guiding Through Schools During the course of the training, we held numerous interactive sessions on what Guiding is all about and how it can be run. In Canada, most Girl Guide units meet independently of schools.

In Mozambique, to facilitate local needs and structures, it was CANADIAN GUIDER | FALL 2018

decided that running Guiding through the schools would be the best way to make it accessible to all girls.

Combatting Challenges A majority of the training sessions were led by the Mozambican women. In the session discussing barriers women face in Mozambique, participants worked in small groups to create skits about the challenges they determined to be most important to address, including child marriage, sexual harassment, and sexual abuse. The participants discussed how having girls-only safe spaces to talk about, work through, and combat these challenges would build a sense of community and empower girls to stand up for themselves. This participant-led training was as authentic and impactful as possible, and witnessing it made me acutely aware of the important role that WAGGGS plays in the world.

Breaking Through Barriers Being a WAGGGS facilitator was personally exciting and rewarding.

Meeting so many inspirational women who dedicated their week to learning about WAGGGS and how they could bring Guiding to girls in their communities has proven to me that it is women who are the catalysts supporting girls who will break through barriers and change the world.

Alissa Sallans is a Guider in Whitby, ON.

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MENTORSHIP

Leading the Way 14

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I

Girl Assistants

have participated in Girl Guides for 11 years and have been a Girl Assistant for the past three years, working with an amazing group of Guides. I became a Girl Assistant because I wanted to enhance my experience within Guiding – and because I was encouraged by my former Guider, Carly, to assist with her Guide unit.

After my first meeting as a Girl Assistant, I knew this was the right fit and challenge for me. Some of the responsibilities I have include attending weekly meetings, sleepovers, day trips and camps. I am involved in a variety of aspects of these events.

For instance, one week I might lead a game and the next week I might facilitate a group discussion or participate in a planning session with the unit’s Guiders.

Being a Girl Assistant has been one of the greatest experiences of my life.

I have gained self-confidence, learned the importance of commitment and responsibility, and developed skills in working with people of different ages. And I believe my leadership skills have greatly improved, as well. No matter how big or small, my responsibilities and experiences as a Girl Assistant have had a positive and empowering effect on my everyday life. For example, I am now able to talk confidently in front of a crowd, I can work in a team very effectively, and I have new and vital skills and expertise to add to my resume.

B Y K AT E LY N S C I M E

Girl Assistants bring fresh energy to units, while helping Guiders and learning to become mentors to younger girls.

And they gain experience and skills for themselves in the process.

Here is one member’s view of what she discovered about herself as a Girl Assistant.

Connecting with Guiders My advice to any girl interested in becoming a Girl Assistant is to reach out to a Guider in your community for help in getting started. If you are already a Girl Assistant, and you feel that you want to take a bigger role with your unit, or want to have more input into the program and activities, talk with the Guiders – openly communicate how you feel, and speak up for yourself and the girls you support!

Part of what has made my experience as a Girl Assistant so wonderful is the amazing Guiders with whom I have had the privilege to work. I appreciate that they treat me as an equal, value my opinions and include me in the planning of activities.

A good Guider and Girl Assistant relationship involves understanding from both the Guiders and Girl Assistants that mistakes will be made and that you must be part of a united team to maintain mutual respect and support for one another.

Since I have been a Girl Assistant I can now say that I understand why so many women give up their free time to become Guiders. It has been one of the most rewarding experiences that I have ever had – no matter what else is going on in my life, I know that I can always rely on the girls I work with to make me smile and feel great. Last year we were creating emoji keychains, and I remember how proud one of my Guides was with her creation. Seeing her excitement made my day! I truly believe that when you work as a Girl Assistant, you become a role model to the girls and the girls become an inspiration to you.

Katelyn Scime, is a Lone member in Dundas, ON.

Photo: Wayne Eardley

Tips for Girl Assistants

CANADIAN GUIDER | FALL 2018

• Ask questions. It’s better to ask a question up front than to hold back and find yourself uninformed and confused.

• Take initiative. Leading a game or preparing a singalong can be a big help to the unit’s Guiders – and it will demonstrate your desire and ability to fully participate in leading the unit.

• Be a role model. Assert yourself as a leader, and the girls will respect and look up to you as they do the Guiders.

• Participate. Get on the girls’ level. They will love you for working and playing along with them and you will love it, too!

• Share your talents and interests. Are you an avid gardener? Offer to run a gardening night or a craft. Love singing?

Organize the campfire for one of your camps.

• Have fun! While you are volunteering your time, remember to enjoy yourself. Being a Girl Assistant should be something you’re passionate about, and love to do.

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CONNECTIONS

Get Engaged!

Engaging with elected officials helps girls learn about the democratic process and how decisions are made in their community, province and country.

And it puts them in contact with inspiring role models!

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nviting an elected official to your unit meeting, or visiting a local legislative building, provides an interesting, high-impact and no-cost learning experience for girls.

Not only do they learn about politics, democracy and what the job of an elected official looks like, they can also connect with women who are leaders in their community.

Learning About Democracy By speaking with a politician or visiting a legislative building, girls learn about the political process and how decisions are made. It can be especially helpful to engage with local politicians such as city councillors, because their role in decision-making can feel more relevant. It’s at the town, city or regional government level that decisions about local bylaws and budgets are made, and these may have a more immediate impact on girls’ lives.

CANADIAN GUIDER | FALL 2018

Photo: courtesy Diamond Isinger

Connecting with Politicians

Introducing women role models in politics is a powerful way to show girls that they can hold important leadership roles in society.

Closing the Gender Gap In Canada, women are underrepresented in politics at all levels – only 27 per cent of Canada’s Members of Parliament, 30 per cent of provincial/territorial legislature members, 16 per cent of mayors and 26 per cent of city councillors are women. Introducing women role models in politics is a powerful way to show girls that they can hold important leadership roles in society.

Everything She Wants to Be By learning about what an elected official does, and by meeting role models in the field, girls may be inspired to run for office themselves one day. At the very least, when they understand the political process, they can become more informed and active citizens.

Promoting Guiding Elected officials are usually well connected in the community, so engaging with them can also generate some free local PR for GGC. When elected officials gain a deeper understanding of Guiding, they’re more likely to talk about our impact on the wider community, which will create more public interest and attention.

How to Engage a Politician So, you’re considering engaging with a politician as a unit activity. What’s next? Here are the steps you can take: Decide whether you’d like to invite a politician to your unit or would prefer to visit a legislative building. For unit meetings, consider inviting your mayor, your city councillor or your local MLA, MPP, MHA or MP. For visits, consider your city or town hall, your provincial legislature, a local constituency office, or the Parliament of Canada.

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Check out GGC’s Advocacy Guidelines.

You will find important tips to ensure your activities are multi-partisan or non-partisan.

For example, if the girls will be speaking with a politician, make sure the discussion is focused on their work as an elected official, not as a member of

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CANADIAN GUIDER | FALL 2018

their political party. If there are currently provincial, federal or municipal elections where you live, ensure you’re not engaging with one party or candidate over another, and that multiple parties or candidates are represented in your activities. (View the full Guidelines document at: Member Zone > Guider Resources > Unit Guider Tools).

Send out the invitation to the elected official(s). Explain why you’re interested in having them speak with the girls in your unit, and how it will benefit both the girls and the official(s) themselves. Politicians tend to be very busy, so keep in mind that you may need to be flexible in your arrangements.

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Plan your meeting or visit. Think about program connections. For example, a relatable connection for Guides is tying in a visit from elected officials to the girls’ elections for patrol leaders. If you’re looking for resources, Elections Canada, Equal Voice, Samara, and Civix are great sources of educational information and materials.

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Engage the girls. A girl-led Q&A with an elected official is an excellent way to ensure that the girls’ questions are addressed.

(Guiders can provide age-appropriate facilitation.) You can also look at the agenda for upcoming city council meetings to see if there’s a particular topic coming up that would be of interest to the girls.

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Related Activities To enhance the girls’ experience with politician visits or a unit outing to a political venue, try the following related activities: • Check if your provincial council organizes any activities or events connected to your provincial legislature that may be of interest to your unit.

• Organize mock elections and debates – these are fun activities for all ages, and will help girls learn about the political process.

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NETWORKING

Sharing the

Sisterhood Guider Get-Togethers

BY DIAMOND ISINGER

etworking through Link or Trefoil Guild membership, or with Guiders in your district, area or community, offers awesome opportunities to share in the sisterhood with other adult GGC members. There are so many ways to spend time together, enjoying activities that are creative, active, fun and low-cost or free. It’s the company that counts. Guiders throughout Canada are doing all kinds of exciting things together – so get inspired and plan your own Guider get-together.

of their own, and also volunteer with local units for special events, such as accompanying a Brownie unit to a regional rally day in Fraser Valley. Take inspiration from these young women, and do something like hosting a camp blanket sewing night for women. No fancy supplies needed – just thread, needles, your bag of badges and crests waiting to be sewn, and a fun group of friends to chat with. To keep up your stitching stamina, bring some sweet treats or order a pizza delivery. Yummy fun!

Beyond Potlucks

Across Ontario this past June, dozens of get-togethers took place in informal locations as diverse as urban cafes and rural Tim Hortons. These weren’t the result of a complicated long-term planning process – they were prompted by social media posts seeking sisterhood and connection. Individual members suggested an informal meet-up at a set time and place in the coming week, and others showed up to join them. The power

In Burnaby, BC, a group of young women recently founded a Link group for GGC members at the younger end of the Link age range, who have moved beyond Rangers and their girl memberships. This small but active group of “Linklings” gets together regularly to enjoy each other and Guiding – and not just at potlucks. They plan all kinds of activities

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Meet-Ups

CANADIAN GUIDER | FALL 2018

Photos: courtesy Diamond Isinger

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The fun, friendship, and adventure of Guiding isn’t just about girls. It’s also about spending time with other wonderful Guiders who share a commitment to empower every girl to be everything she wants to be!

of social media in organizing get-togethers is huge. A gathering doesn’t need to have 50 or 500 people. It can be just you and a few friends meeting up to share stories and ideas, with no detailed planning or budget required. The sisterhood of Guiding is what we make of it – so put the call out on social media, by email or in your regional/provincial newsletter, and see who in your Guiding community is available to meet up.

Retreat Days In East Vancouver, the large and active Renfrew District hosted a retreat day, called “Guiders Like To Play, Too!” A diverse group of women of all ages shared ideas within their branches, enjoyed a delicious meal together, brought in a guest facilitator to teach a unique craft, sang songs, and participated in lots of good-old Guiding silliness. Nothing builds friendships better than being silly together – so find a way to do something that brings out your inner kid to connect with others and gather cool ideas for your own Girl Guide community. Bringing in a special guest instructor broadens your horizons to learn a new skill, while also reducing the planning time required. Most facilitators will bring their own materials and activity plan, enabling you to fully enjoy the activity instead of having to run the show. Ask local arts instructors, Guiding trainers or other resource people to join you at a retreat day.

CANADIAN GUIDER | FALL 2018

Fighting Fun! In Ottawa recently, we discovered that inviting new friends to some “fighting fun” can result in a truly fulfilling time together. I booked a private lesson at a local medieval swordplay school and used social media to invite other Guiders to join me. In response to one social media posting, six Guiders participated. At the lesson, we were greeted by enthusiastic facilitators, one of whom was the parent of a Girl Guide – our Guiding network is ever-expanding! We learned techniques for swordplay, tested them out with wooden and plastic demonstration swords, practised on each other, and got exposed to a whole new world of medieval learning that we could share with our Girl Guide groups of all ages.

This activity provided a unique way to get active, learn a new skill and meet new people. How many people can say they spent a Saturday afternoon crossing swords with half a dozen new friends?

Need more ideas? Contact a Guiding friend and brainstorm what would make for a fun get-together, and then put the word out. Consider the amenities and special opportunities that your community has to offer and make something special happen. From axe-throwing and bowling to crafts to a tea/coffee meet-up or a dinner party, there are lots of ways to connect with others and benefit from everything Guiding has to offer – especially the friendship of our amazing sister members. Have fun!

Diamond Isinger is a Guider from Vancouver, and a member of the Canadian Guider Editorial Committee.

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LEADERSHIP

Speak Up! Step In! GGC Youth Councils and Forums

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CANADIAN GUIDER | FALL 2018

Now more then ever, Girl Guides of Canada is encouraging girls and young women to speak up and step in! And their voices are influencing decisions and driving change at all levels of Guiding, as they begin to step into leadership roles within our organization.

The GGC National Youth Council and provincial girl forums and councils provide our girl members with a way to make a vital impact on the future of Guiding. They also provide a win-win scenario – GGC benefits from girls’ opinions, ideas and talents, and the girls expand their leadership skills as they explore their Guiding interests and options.

This is an exciting time for our organization, as we hear what these young members have to say and watch them take the reins of leadership. They are making Guiding truly the place where every girl feels that she has input, that she is heard, and that her ideas and opinions count. Here, four members of GGC youth forums and councils share their insights on what their teams have achieved, how they’ve influenced Guiding, and what they’ve gained from the experience.

CANADIAN GUIDER | FALL 2018

Elizabeth Barnes

Quebec Council Next Generation Forum-Forum de la Prochaine Génération We were the first ever youth forum in Quebec, so we had to figure things out as we went along. I think that, together, we were able to lay a good foundation for the next group of girls who will make up the forums and continue to do amazing things. For example, we organized a skating party to facilitate Rangers from different units coming together in an informal setting – to just meet each other and have fun.

I come from a very small unit, so I think that it’s important to have these sorts of events to give older girls the chance to meet each other and provide a sense of community.

We also got to lead the Promise at the provincial AGM and it was amazing to hear everyone say it together. That moment is what made me the proudest to be a Girl Guide this year. I just recently turned 18, so my journey as a girl member is over, but I can’t wait to become a Guider and continue on in this organization.

Teagan Cameron

Alberta Council Youth Forum When I joined the Alberta Council Youth Forum, it was with the desire to act as a conduit between girls and the provincial council, helping to facilitate a more enriching experience for the girls Guiding is targeted towards. I also wanted a platform to employ the voice I had begun to nurture inside myself. It was gradually getting stronger, but it is really this last year on the Youth Forum that has enabled me to become a self-advocate and to also advocate for others.

One of the legacies of our forum is improving communications with girls.

With our influence, Rangers now get our email publications. The forum also helped re-organize our online publication to be clearer and easier to access so that more girls are aware of the opportunities available to them.

I believe that at the heart of Guiding is the passion contributed by girl members. As a member of this forum, I am excited to use that passion – to provide the drive and vigour that make Girl Guides strong, dynamic and vital to girls and young women in Canada.

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LEADERSIP

Andrea Chakma

National Youth Council As youth, we have a lot of ideas, we’re exposed to different concepts, and we demonstrate a great deal of passion. Passion and energy are what I’m excited to contribute as a National Youth Council member, because so often those qualities can become lost in an organization – specifically during decision making. By being a girl member of GGC and contributing to a youth council, I feel I can offer a fresh point of view that was not there before girls were seated at the decision-making table.

My goal as a National Youth Council member is to help create a more diverse organization that is ready to keep up with the various advancements of the world. For example, I was proud to be part of the team to propose new and innovative ways to portray Guiding online and in the media. This took a lot of research and analysis of the data GGC has collected about how people view our organization, a lot of dedication from our council members, and a lot of feedback from members in our Guiding communities.

Shelan Emre

Manitoba Provincial Youth Forum (President) One of my goals has been to create a better Guiding experience for younger girls to follow.

When they see how open and proud I am about being a Girl Guide, hopefully they will want, and be able, to follow in these footsteps. There are many girls in Guiding who love what we are and what we do, but they keep their Guiding life separate from their non-Guiding life. I think this is something that sets me apart from some – I make everyone aware that I am a proud Girl Guide. I want them to understand what Guiding is and how empowering it can be.

On the National Youth Council, we meet up with girls from different communities and chat with them about what they would like to see in Guiding. My goal is to see that every girl has the opportunity to give her input and feel she is being heard. So, it’s important to encourage other girls throughout Manitoba and Canada to understand that they have a voice, that they can speak up and advocate for what they believe in, and that they can feel safe doing so.

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CANADIAN GUIDER | FALL 2018

OUTDOOR GUIDER

FROM

START TO FINISH GIRL-LED DISTRICT CAMPS

Illustration: ©iStock/aleksandarvelasevic; ©iStock/subtropica

B Y R O S A L I E S C OT T A N D S A M F R Y

What happens when girls run a camp from start to finish? They develop great skills, and everyone has loads of fun! From setting menus and assisting with paperwork to organizing activities, here’s how one Ranger unit created an awesome camp – and learned a lot along the way!

CANADIAN GUIDER | FALL 2018

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Photo: Natasha Bortolazzo

OUTDOOR GUIDER

Choosing a Camp Theme For the first few months of the Guiding year, camp planning remained on the back burner, so we could focus on our other program and events. Then, in January, we began brainstorming camp themes and activities. After lots of group discussion and another vote, we settled on a Greek theme, and tailored it to appeal to all ages. Incorporating aspects of Greek mythology and the Olympics, we called the camp Grecian Games.

Pre-Camp Tasks Each Ranger took on a pre-camp responsibility, including tasks such as preparing the Safe Guide forms, kit lists, camp invitations, specific program elements, decorations, and costumes. Each Ranger chose her favourite activity, creating small groups to hash out the details. This took a lot of time, but it was well worth it. We scheduled time in each weekly meeting

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to discuss our plans, giving everyone a voice. Since travelling to and from the campsite involved two bus trips and a ferry each way, our Guiders were responsible for booking transportation, as well as assigning accommodations. Luckily, we had a quartermaster team to shop and cook, so that was another big thing we could delegate.

Creating a Camp Schedule To keep everyone busy from Friday evening to Sunday afternoon, we selected six activities, including a camp-wide odyssey (scavenger hunt). In the end, we had a series of 45-minute activity stations for groups of 24 girls. At every meeting, we updated the group about program details, discussing what was working or not, what could be improved, and who would run the activities at camp. Testing ideas and brainstorming together really helped us consider all the possibilities – including keeping Sparks through Pathfinders engaged in each activity. We wrote instructions for setting up and running the stations. We also discussed the menu, made decorations, and created a camp crest.

Final Details The last two weeks before camp, we were busy ironing out the final details, making buttons, finishing decorations, perfecting the activities, creating costumes, and buying the last supplies.

Overall the experience of planning the camp was fantastic. We got to turn our ideas into realities, research and teach topics

CANADIAN GUIDER | FALL 2018

Illustration: ŠiStock/aleksandarvelasevic

Last September, our Guiders asked if we wanted to take on the organization and running of our district camp. While this was not the first time our unit had planned such a camp, it was new for all of us . Using a blind vote, we decided we wanted to tackle the challenge. The camp took place in April and included more than 175 participants!

that we were passionate about, hone our leadership skills, and learn what it really takes to put on a district camp. We all gained a whole new understanding of how difficult – but also fun – organizing a camp can be.

After all the fun, saying goodbye on Sunday was a bit sad – but we were thrilled that the weekend had gone so well.

Planning and running this District Camp was an amazing leadership opportunity and an experience we won’t forget.

Time for Camp

Our Top Tips for Planning a Terrific Camp!

Of course, planning camp was one thing, but then we had to run it. We arrived with our Guiders early on Friday to set up. Walking around an empty camp was a bit overwhelming at first – especially with the realization that 150 girls were about to arrive. However, that thought passed quickly, and we got to work. We spent a lot of time and energy putting Greek columns on the front of the cabins and covering the main dining hall with themed decorations. When the girls arrived, it was clear they were thrilled with the transformation!

Keeping Everyone Busy The camp activities were warmly welcomed, despite the rainy weather.

Our giant catapults were a huge hit; everyone enjoyed our silly variations on Olympic events; and our Greek feast was pronounced delicious. We closed with a campfire, for which we had written new lyrics to traditional songs: Torches Burning (Fires Burning), Hermie The Hydra (Hermie the Worm), Medusa (I’m Being Eaten by a Boa Constrictor), Pegasus Song (Penguin Song), and The Minotaur Song (The Moose Song). As first-time campfire leaders, we were a bit anxious, but it was an awesome experience.

Photo: Angela d’Eon

Engaging with the Girls After our first day, once the girls were ready for sleep, we went around to the Spark and Brownie cabins to read bedtime stories, featuring female Greek characters and goddesses. This was an amazing bridging and bonding experience, and really showed us why putting so much effort into the camp was worth it.

CANADIAN GUIDER | FALL 2018

• Start early and think about little touches that match your theme, such as décor and costumes.

• Get creative and adjust your campfire song lyrics to suit your theme. With younger girls, do repeat-after-me songs.

• Choose crafts that fit the theme.

• Create a special camp crest – they are always popular.

• Include costume suggestions on the kit list, so the girls can come prepared.

• Set up a photo booth with props – girls love to pose for silly pictures with their friends.

• Have a backup rain plan in case Sparks and Brownies get too cold and wet.

They’ll have more fun if they have a chance to warm up and enjoy a quick snack.

• To increase the bridging potential, create program groups that include Sparks through Pathfinders, with Rangers running the stations.

Rosalie Scott and Sam Fry are Rangers in Vancouver, BC.

Campers’ Comments “The opening speech was fantastic, and really set the tone for the camp.”

“Everyone really loved our Greek-themed trivia game, led by Athena.”

“The camp was full of amazing learning opportunities for everyone, including the youngest Sparks and Guiders.”

“The program encouraged teamwork and gave the girls an opportunity to meet new people.”

“Camp was a challenge, especially since none of us had ever planned an event on this scale – but we all had a great time.”

“We took some risks with a program that was challenging to organize, but overall it worked out. Anything that wasn’t perfect can be improved for next time.”

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OUTDOOR GUIDER

Grecian Camp Cuisine

Because this was a large camp, we didn’t do our own cooking, leaving that to the quartermaster team. In keeping with the camp theme, our dinner menu included chicken souvlaki, Greek rice, lemon potatoes, Greek salad, pita bread, hummus, tzatziki, grape juice and Mediterranean blue cupcakes. Here are two of our recipes, each yielding 24-30 side servings.

GREEK LEMON RICE

Grecian Night Games CAPTURE THE GLOWING FLEECES (CAPTURE THE FLAG)

Players are divided into teams randomly. Each team’s golden fleeces (giant glow sticks with colour bandana) will be hidden around the team’s area. The objective of the game is to capture as many fleeces from the opponent team as possible.

Girls who are caught are put in jail, where they must do 20 jumping jacks to be set free. Once a girl captures a fleece, she brings it to the game leaders, so it can be hidden again.

KICK THE HYDRA (KICK THE CAN) One girl stands holding a flashlight (to make her more visible), and guards a can on the ground. The other girls try to kick the can, without being tagged by the can guarder.

Tagged girls leave the play. When a can is successfully kicked, another can is added.

TROJAN HORSE (SARDINES)

One girl is chosen to be the Trojan Horse. She must hide somewhere. Everyone else tries to find the Trojan Horse and hide with her. The objective of the game is to avoid being the last one to find and hide with the Trojan Horse.

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1 Heat a saucepan over medium heat. Add the oil and rice.

Sauté for two to three minutes, stirring often so the rice doesn’t brown too much. Add salt and lemon juice and sauté one minute more.

2 Slowly add in broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to the lowest setting. Cover and cook for 30 minutes.

3 Check to see if the liquid is absorbed. If not, let it cook uncovered for a few minutes more. Once all the liquid is absorbed, turn off the heat and let it sit for 10 minutes before serving.

LEMON POTATOES

• 25-30 potatoes, peeled and cut in to evenly sized wedges • 2 ½ cups/750 ml olive oil • 5 tsp/25 ml dried oregano • 5 tsp/25 ml garlic powder • 10 lemons, juiced (plus more for serving) (or use lemon concentrate) • 2 ½ cups/750 ml veggie broth • salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste • 1 tsp/5 ml dried rosemary (optional)

1 Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a large mixing bowl, add the potato wedges and toss with the remaining ingredients until well coated. Lightly grease a baking sheet with olive oil, or line it with parchment paper. Place the coated potatoes in a single layer and drizzle with any remaining marinade.

2 Bake approximately 60 minutes. Carefully turn the potatoes halfway through cooking to prevent them from sticking and to brown evenly.

3 Re-season with salt and pepper. Add a bit more lemon juice (if desired).

CANADIAN GUIDER | FALL 2018

Illustration: ©iStock/aleksandarvelasevic

Photo: Lynn Maranda

You can make this rice in advance to intensify the flavour and fluffiness. However, you will need access to a microwave for reheating.

• 6 cups/1,500 ml long grain rice • 12 tbsp/180 ml olive oil • 6 tsp/5 ml salt • 12-18 tbsp/180-270 lemon juice • 12 cups/3,000 ml hot vegetable broth

t n i M y e t a l o c o Ch COOKIES

r e v o e k Ma

A Dynamic New Cookie Box Design The Girl Guide chocolatey mint cookie box has been given an exciting makeover.

It features our new Trefoil and eight design variations that create a dynamic pattern when lined up for display!

The box is horizontal again – back by popular demand for those who want more creative display opportunities.

The side panels now create another element to showcase the cookie, when boxes are stacked.

And each box has images paired front and back, showcasing the range of activities and relationships that reflect the Girl Guide experience.

CANADIAN GUIDER | FALL 2018

The cookie case has also been updated with clean new lines and the new Trefoil, and will be packed randomly with some or all of the cookie box design variations.

We hope the new box will help boost sales – customers may be prompted to buy different versions, and you can make gift sets, including one of each version to encourage multiple sales!

Great news!

This makeover is not reflected in the price. Girl Guide Cookies will continue to be sold for $5 and there are currently no plans to increase the price. Deliveries of chocolatey mint cookies will begin the second week of September.

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ASK A GUIDER

Managing Large Units Challenges and Rewards During the summer of 2017, our unit registration crept up to 35 Guides and 7 Guiders. No longer managing a unit of average size, we knew we were about to encounter different challenges and opportunities as the Guiding year unfolded.

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CANADIAN GUIDER | FALL 2018

Photo: Janelle Smiley-Wiens

B Y J A N E L L E S M I L E Y-W I E N S

S

ome Guiders might be intimidated by the idea of a large unit, but we took our increase in registrants as a healthy sign for Guiding and a constructive personal challenge. Now, you might be asking, how did we get so large?

Well, our district has developed an excellent membership recruitment setup, with Sparks, Brownies and Guides all meeting on Monday nights. And they meet at the same location, close to the university and to public transit. This convenience has encouraged most families to enroll all their daughters, from Sparks to Guides.

Word-of-mouth through our parents and our community has been outstanding. Added to this, our annual bring-a-friend night gained us four members, who brought their younger siblings for the following year.

Our Guiders are mainly university students or young professionals. The girls respond very well to our youthfulness and consider us “cool.” (Well, at least we think they do.) And parents like our unit because we “do so much great stuff.” Beyond field trips, camping and outdoor meetings, that “stuff” includes a medieval mystery dessert night, a date night for parents, a carnival for CWFF, sailing and horseback riding, learning about interesting topics such as diabetes awareness, chemistry and forestry, service projects for a rehabilitation centre, global HIV/AIDS service projects, and collections for a local book drive.

Challenges The principal challenge of managing a large unit is sheer volume – volume of groceries, volume of crests, volume of questions and volume of sound! Everything is multiplied by the number of Guides, including the noise level. Other challenges include learning and remembering all the girls’ names, and teaching new activities and skills, because the girls learn at different paces and there are so many of them.

Rewards The rewards of a large unit far outstrip the challenges. The girls find making new friends easy among so many participants. They bring different interests, talents and knowledge to the unit, giving us great variety and diversity.

Group activities are easy to organize and wonderfully dynamic. And, with a large number of participants, wide games just rock!

Janelle Smiley-Wiens is a Guider in Calgary.

CANADIAN GUIDER | FALL 2018

Tips for Managing Large Units Meeting Atmosphere • Develop a quiet space where participants can go to be away from the rest of the unit, if they choose. Have quiet and relaxing activities for them to do.

• Create a fidget bag of items participants can use to calm their fidgets during conversations.

• Make voting fun! We do group voting using our legs – the girls lie down and use one or two legs to vote on different activities or camp food. They can only see their neighbours vote and not the whole group, and they love it!

• Be realistic with your unit and your parents! If the Guiders don’t think an activity or game is possible, let the girls know the reason why, and work together to find an alternative.

• Create a group call and practise it at the beginning of the year. Our call has the Guiders saying, “Yo, yo, yo” and the girls responding, “Yo, what’s up!”

Planning • In Guiding’s girl-driven model, all units should begin the year by asking the girls what they want to do. For a large unit, this is particularly important because with so many more girls, there are bound to be many more ideas to consider.

• Create a schedule covering three to four months, and rotate the Guiders to facilitate each meeting.

• Towards the end of the year, have the more experienced Guides run meetings.

• Book camps and sleepovers well in advance, and arrange for back-up supervisors.

Communication • Create and maintain a consistent mode of communication with the girls and their parents. For example, we always send unit update emails on Sundays.

• Hold Guider Group Chats. We use group chat apps regularly to communicate.

• Debrief. We have had many meetings at which multiple things have been going on at once. We have a debrief discussion after each meeting (especially if it has been chaotic) to review any issues and discuss improvements.

Organization • Designate Guiders to oversee specific duties, such as cookie sales, meetings, community service activities, camp plans, etc.

• Consider recruiting a knowledgeable parent to be your greeter at meetings, overseeing the sign-in and money collection process.

• Get into online grocery shopping. This has been the easiest solution for camp shopping that I have found.

You simply select and pay for your products on a store’s website and pick them up, without having to go up and down the aisles yourself.

I generally complete my grocery shopping online in 15 minutes and pay five dollars for the staff to do what can take me a total of two hours.

And I can even ask a parent or co-Guider to pick up the order on their way to camp!

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SKILLS

Show Your

Strengths Guiding Experience in Post-Secondary Admissions

BY FELICITY ORTHNER RUGARD

It’s fall! That means university and college admission deadlines are coming up. If you’re searching for a post-secondary placement, don’t forget to include all the skills and experience you’ve gained through Guiding on your applications.

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niversities and colleges look for strengths in candidates, and your Guiding background has given you many to consider. Here are some examples from my personal Guiding experience that could be applied to many different post-secondary applications, as well as to Guiding and non-Guiding scholarship applications:

Leadership In the post-secondary application process, leadership experience is considered very valuable. It shows that you will be able to tackle new challenges and work with others. Fortunately, Guiding has given us a good deal of leadership experience.

Examples of proven leadership positions you may have held include: • Camp Leader (Pathfinder Silver/Gold Camp or other camp event) • Girl Assistant • Guide Patrol (First or Second) And this is just a start – you might have tackled any number of other leadership responsibilities in Guiding. For example, that camp you volunteered to lead for a group of Brownies or the community service project you organized for your unit are both excellent examples of leadership.

Community Service Most universities look for people who are involved in their community and making positive changes. Chances are, if you’re in Girl Guides, you’ve had tons of experience working on behalf of your community.

Service is such a large part of the Guiding program, it shouldn’t be too hard to think of projects to add to your application.

My Ranger unit runs an Out of the Cold dinner every year. We also sewed for Days for Girls at camp. Other examples may include: • collecting food bank donations • doing litter pick-ups or Great Canadian Shoreline clean-ups • volunteering as a Girl Assistant • singing for seniors • creating cards for the Valentines for Veterans program

Teamwork Guiding is all about teamwork. From badges and camp activities to national rallies, we focus on working together.

If you’re writing an application essay, mention any challenges you encountered and how you worked through them.

Examples can include: • group camp activities, (building fire on ice, bear-proofing food and storm-lashing tents, etc.)

CANADIAN GUIDER | FALL 2018

You’ve got this!

Showcase the awards you earned, the team goals your unit achieved, and the personal goals you accomplished in Guiding.

• Remembrance Day ceremonies • community clean-ups or events • pen pals with units in other cities/towns, provinces or countries

Problem Solving

• cookie selling as a group (managing money, taking turns to sell, etc.)

• challenge work and badge work (working together to achieve a goal)

Illustration: ©iStock/MatiasEnElMundo

Accomplishments In Guiding, girls frequently accomplish goals, meet challenges, and earn awards.

This is a good place to showcase the awards you earned, the team goals your unit achieved, and the personal goals you accomplished in Guiding. My primary goal was to earn my Canada Cord, but I also had secondary goals, such as learning to steer a canoe and read a compass.

Again, it’s important to explain why the goal was important to you and what you experienced as you achieved it. Here are a few examples of accomplishments relevant to an application: • a personal Guiding goal that you accomplished • Canada Cord • Gold Chief Commissioner's Award • Girl Greatness Award CANADIAN GUIDER | FALL 2018

Challenges In your application, it’s very important to describe challenges you have overcome.

This demonstrates that, no matter what program you’re applying to, you can prevail, even if you face challenges or setbacks. A personal challenge that I overcame in Girl Guides was shyness – and now here I am writing about myself in our organization’s national magazine. Examples of challenges you have faced could include: • a power outage at camp • flooded tents • an injury • fear during a high ropes course, canoe portage or wilderness hike

Citizenship Being a good citizen is important in Girl Guides – and also in post-secondary admissions applications. Think back to activities you may have done to complete the Pathfinder Citizenship award, as I did, or how you participated in other projects, such as:

Okay, let’s be honest – Girl Guides is all about problem solving. One example that I like to use is when I came up with new locations and strategies to sell cookies while raising funds for an independent trip to the East Coast. Other problem-solving examples include: • fixing broken tents • making rain pants out of garbage bags • drying wet wood In your application essay or personal statement, be sure to reflect on what you have learned from your Guiding experiences. Universities and colleges want to see your ability to be flexible and resilient, as well as how you absorb knowledge and gain new skills. And leave yourself time for edits and revisions.

Adding something new that you may have not thought of before can be a huge help.

Best of luck on your applications!

For more tips, check out the Member Zone tip sheet, “Guiding on Your Resume” (bit.ly/2ol390H) and “Cookie Resume Skills” (http://bit.ly/2xLTjGy).

Felicity Orthner Rugard is a Ranger and a member of the Canadian Guider Editorial Committee.

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IDEAS

Weird & Wonderful Supplies Beyond Scissors and Skipping Ropes C O M P I L E D B Y K AT H R Y N LYO N S

From scissors to skipping ropes, we all have our go-to unit craft and activity supplies, right? But sometimes an out-of-the-ordinary unit item will enhance a meeting to the surprise and delight of both girls and Guiders.

Sure, the regular craft and activity supplies we keep on hand in our units are practical.

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But an unusual acquisition can add a level of fun and frivolity that will be as, or even more, useful than your run-of-the-mill supplies.

Here are some weird and wonderful items you might consider adding to your unit’s cupboard this year.

CANADIAN GUIDER | FALL 2018

PLAY PARACHUTES Play parachutes are available online and at some toy stores. They can also be improvised from low-cost shower curtains or tarps. Or you can really take up-cycling to the next level by deconstructing tents that have outlived their camping purpose, giving them new life in a patchwork parachute.

“We use a play parachute for those ‘Oh, oh – we’ve done all our activities and need a game, stat’ moments,” says Guider Natasha Larsen, from Sherwood Park, AB. “The girls love it and never get tired of it.”

Beyond classic games, a parachute can be used as a circle gathering tool.

Everyone takes an edge of the parachute and spreads it out until a circle is made. It can also be used to teach skills.

“I show the girls how a compass works and we put a pylon at each North, South, East, and West point on the parachute,” says Guider Beth Spencer, of Dartmouth, NS. “Then the girls all stand around the parachute and hold on to it in the middle of the pylons. The girls are the compass as it moves and the girl whose name I call is the needle. When I yell out, ‘Ava, North!’ they move together without letting go of the parachute, until Ava ends up at North. Then I say, ‘Clara, West!’ and they do the same thing. After they get the four cardinal directions sorted out, I add in the intercardinal directions: Northeast, Southeast, Southwest and Northwest. The girls have to work together to get to the correct point on the compass as quickly as they can. This game never fails!”

ALL CHANGE

Photo: ©iStock/SolStock; Illustration: ©iStock/adekvat

1 Lift the parachute high into the air.

2 Call out birthday months, pre-assigned numbers, colours, etc., relating to specific girls.

3 Those girls swap places under the parachute before it falls, and run to an empty space.

CANADIAN GUIDER | FALL 2018

SHARK ATTACK

PARACHUTE TAG

1 Two girls are lifeguards and one is the shark.

2 The shark goes underneath the parachute. All other girls sit in a circle, pulling the parachute up to their chins by the handles with their legs underneath, making waves in the material.

3 The shark grabs the other girls’ legs and tries to drag them under.

4 The two lifeguards circle the outside of the parachute and try to rescue girls who are being pulled under by the shark.

5 When a player is dragged under, she becomes another shark.

6 At a pre-set time limit, the sharks or the lifeguards win, depending on how many girls are caught under the parachute and how many are rescued.

1 Lift the parachute high into the air.

2 Call out two girls’ names.

3 They must trade places by running under the chute, before it comes down on them.

POPCORN 1 Place a number of beanbags, small balls, or cotton balls on the parachute.

2 Shake to make them pop up like popcorn.

3 You can add a challenge by having one or two girls get under the parachute, and try to knock the beanbags or balls off from underneath it.

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IDEAS

RUBBER CHICKENS Squeaky, bouncy and quite silly, how about rubber chickens? (And you don’t have to settle for just chickens – there are buzzards, pigs, and more to consider, too.)

Guider Leslie Reid from Bedford, NS, considers the chickens she found in the dog toy section of her local dollar store to be among her best investments for the unit. “The girls use them for games, including Silent Chicken and my two personal favourites, Chuck the Chicken and Hide-and-Go Chicken,” she says. “They also make great buzzers for game showstyle activities, and noise makers for our ‘Guiding Idol’ show.”

Other units’ rubber toys have taken on their own names, such as Frank the Buzzard, in Guider Louise Winhold’s unit in Calgary. In Toronto, Guider Karen Cross says their unit “pet,” Chickaletta, wears a pink tutu. “Using the talking stick concept, the rule is , if you are not holding the talking chicken you don’t speak,” she says, “The girls love Chickaletta, and she goes everywhere with us.”

SILENT CHICKEN 1 The girls stand in a circle.

2 One girl tosses a chicken it to another girl, who tosses it to another, and so on.

3 Anyone who drops the chicken or makes it squeak, or who makes any sound, steps out of the game.

4 To make the game more challenging and add to the fun, throw in another chicken or two!

HIDE-AND-GO CHICKEN 1 The girls form two teams; each team has one chicken.

2 One girl from each team hides her team’s chicken.

3 The girls on each team form a line, holding hands and go look for the chicken the girl from the other team has hidden.

4 The girls continue to hold hands, so no one gets left behind.

CHUCK THE CHICKEN

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Illustrations: ©iStock/amathers

Divide the girls into two groups.

1 Group A chucks the chicken away from Group B, then forms a circle with one girl standing outside the circle.

2 This girl runs around the circle counting how many times she makes it around before she is told to stop (see point #5).

3 Group B runs over to where the chicken is, forms a line and passes the chicken, girl by girl – one overhead followed by the other between the legs – to the end of the line and back.

4 As Group B passes the chicken, the Group A girl continues to run, and the rest of her group sings a song or recites something like the Promise or Law. 5 When the chicken reaches the start of the line, Group B yells “Stop!” The girl stops running and her group stops singing/reciting.

6 Group B now chucks the chicken and the game continues.

CANADIAN GUIDER | FALL 2018

WHITEBOARDS

ir parents. n with the girls and the rd to share informatio oa iteb wh y alit m qu fro od Invest in a go ges or record ideas to tally points in challen it – se reu also work and – can p use You can also laminated wall ma , the reverse side of a ets dg bu ited lim r Fo brainstorming. as a whiteboard.

TIONS PROGRAM CONNiteEC board as a way for the

MASCOTS There’s something about a mascot – something unexpected that becomes a shared symbol, the focus of attention, and a catalyst for group bonding.

COOL, COURAGEOUS GEORGE

“Last summer we bought a giant aloe vera leaf, taped sunglasses and drew a moustache on it with Sharpie, and called it George,” says Guider Becky Vincent, of Richmond Hill, ON. “George became our unit’s canoe trip mascot for the summer, and courageously guarded our food barrel from marauding critters.

We make a new trip mascot every summer, but it’s gonna be hard to top George!”

Photo: ©iStock/Nerthuz

THE MISSING MASCOT

Former Guider Sandi Arts, of Sooke, BC, says, “As a girl and as a Guider I’ve done camps where the girls are told there is a hidden mascot, usually in the form of a small stuffy, somewhere around camp. The girl who finds it receives a small prize and then hides it again (with the help of an adult, to ensure it doesn’t disappear forever), and the girls begin the search again . . .”

CANADIAN GUIDER | FALL 2018

“We started using a wh g m areas we were workin girls to know what progra , ugh kmore, of Peterboro on,” says Guider Amy Bic l coo s thi while we did all ON. “We realized that ed to tell the girls that it ber em rem er stuff, we nev ind rk. We also use it to rem was related to badge wo is o next week and wh them of anything due the week, and have added h eac re leading the campfi her” question. This has a weekly “would you rat girls n to our meetings. The been a fantastic additio at ion answering the quest have gone from simply t r, to putting real though yea the beginning of the r yea the as rs ir answe and explanations into the s.” progresse

D ALL ABOUT MEfeaBOturAR ing

“We use a whiteboard pictures questions and spaces for ” says es, rcis exe Me t ou for All Ab db Su ury, Guider Julie Stokes, of has ark Sp ON. “Each week, a board ite wh the e her turn to tak it with ts sen pre n the home, and at the next her pictures to the unit a big hit n meeting. This has bee ents!” par ir the and with the girls

LIGHTS! LIGHTS! LIGHTS! Go beyond the basic flashlight, and discover some new and “enlightening” possibilities!

BLACK LIGHT FUN

“We bought a set of six black light banks,” says Guider Theresa Audette, of Bowmanville, ON. “We’ve used them many, many times at camps and parties, for glow bowling, glow parties, space nights, CSI themed meetings, and other fun stuff!”

REPURPOSED PROJECTOR

“When I saw an old-school overhead projector discarded on the side of the road, I just had to grab it,” says Guider Sandra Kuchta, of Ottawa. “We’ve used it many times for shadow charades projected on a white sheet. The girls could play this forever! We also use it for creating silhouette portraits.”

MINI LIGHTS

Strings of mini-lights can be high-impact reusable decorations. They can set a magical mood at a themed camp, or create a special feeling at enrollment.

Kathryn Lyons is a Guider in Ottawa, and a member of the Canadian Guider Editorial Committee.

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g n i n i h S

GIRLS’ VOICES

s r a t S GGC’s 2018 Girl Greatness Awards Girls in Guiding do some pretty amazing things every day – they take action, overcome obstacles, come up with brilliant ideas, and add a lot of awesomeness to the world around them.

GGC’s Girl Greatness Awards applaud girl members who accomplish great things in their communities. The awards recognize one girl in each branch who has excelled in one of the following award categories: Confidence, Resourcefulness, Courage and Making a Difference.

Meet three of this year’s recipients.

Confidence Award RANGERS

Emily, MB

I am nominating myself for the Confidence Award, because I feel that I have come a long way in the past years – thanks to Guiding.

Confidence is not just getting up in front of people and speaking, it is taking charge of your life and advocating for what you want. Since the Ignite. Inspire.

Innovate. conference, I have pushed my social boundaries. I was terrified to spend the weekend in a place where I didn't know anyone, but I overcame my fears and discovered that people can be welcoming and inspiring. I also successfully applied for membership on the Manitoba Provincial Youth Council.

This gave me the confidence to apply for the National Youth Council, and I was delighted to be accepted into this amazing group. I have since gained even more confidence to speak up in meetings and to travel by myself to orientations. I am also running a session at our provincial GGC Leaders of Tomorrow conference about how all the opportunities I have been given in Guiding can benefit others. Thinking back to where I was a year ago, I cannot believe the change. Back then I didn’t speak up much in class, but now I can confidently address a room full of adults or kids. I even auditioned and received a principal role in our school musical. Walking down the school hallway, I no longer keep my head down. Now I say hello to people and continually challenge myself. Girl Guides has truly changed my life.

Nominator: Self

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CANADIAN GUIDER | FALL 2018

Making a Difference Award PATHFINDERS

Making a Difference Award

Caitriona, ON

Caitriona is definitely making a difference in our community. When she was younger, her parents divorced. Later on, she chose to use her experiences to help others our age going through similar troubles. To do this, she created a website called Keep Swimming, which encourages people to anonymously share their stories. She aims to show other kids going through a family breakup that it’s not their fault, and to teach them about their potential new step parents or siblings. I know she has helped to lead discussions on this both at our unit meetings and in other places, such as at school.

Caitriona also encourages discussions about mental health, keeping open ears and an open mind for anyone who has something to say. She gives her advice in a mature and also accessible way to anyone who needs it, whether they are in our unit, the Guide unit that meets near us, or somewhere outside of Guiding. During a recent discussion on wellness at a unit meeting, Caitriona was the one who brought up the fact that it’s not only your physical health that affects your wellness, but also your mental health. This really shows how she aims to make sure everyone knows it’s okay to talk about mental health and that it’s just as important as eating healthy food and exercising. Caitriona really makes a difference in my life and I know she positively impacts all those around her. I believe she is very deserving of a Girl Greatness Award, because she really is truly awesome!

Nominator: GGC Girl Member

GUIDES

Kenzie, AB

I am nominating my friend Kenzie for the Girl

Greatness Award for making a difference in the world. In January 2018 Kenzie went to Mazatlán, Mexico and volunteered to help children at the Salvation Army Children’s Orphanage for one month. She volunteered five days a week at the orphanage, helping paint playground equipment and picnic tables, making and serving lunches, and spending time with the kids, because many of them don’t have a family. To do this, she took Spanish lessons, so she could communicate better with them. All the while, she also used the internet to keep up with her regular school work back home.

Before Kenzie left for Mexico, she asked our school if she could organize a fundraiser for socks and underwear to give to kids at the orphanage. She ended up with 70 packages of new underwear and more than 100 pairs of new socks. When she returned, she described her trip at our Guide meeting. She talked about how happy the kids were to get the socks and underwear, and I thought that was a really nice thing for her to do and at her age. I think she has made a huge difference in the lives of these kids in Mexico and also in our lives, by sharing her experiences with our unit.

Nominator: GGC Girl Member

CANADIAN GUIDER | FALL 2018

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CHALLENGES

The Great Unknown Celebrating Guiding Firsts COMPILED BY HILARY FELDMAN

Have you ever said yes to something or someone, and then instantly regretted it?

Let’s be honest, it’s never easy to take that plunge into the great unknown. Here are some accounts from GGC members who have already said yes to Guiding firsts.

T

he truth is there always something to be gained by venturing into the unknown. And Guiding offers endless opportunities to challenge yourself with new experiences.

By diving into Guiding firsts, you will discover a better, bolder, more capable self, as you increase your self-confidence, discover new talents and develop some empowering new skills. Some of us use these talents and skills to give back to Guiding; some use them as a springboard to launch into new life experiences, such as post-secondary education and new job descriptions; and some do both. Wherever you apply it, though, personal development all begins when you say yes!

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CANADIAN GUIDER | FALL 2018

Girl Member to Guider

Laura Fiset, Nova Scotia New Guider

Meagan Wyllie, Quebec

I joined Girl Guides last fall, and have been hooked ever since. At first, I joined to be a Guider for my stepdaughter’s unit.

She was new to the Guiding world and I thought it would be fun to do something together. I had no idea what Guiding was all about. I had done two years of Guides as a girl, but – silly child me – then decided to pick an alternative activity to do. From day one of my Guider experience, I was welcomed with open arms. I have a wonderful co-Guider who has taken me under her wing and become a mentor, and I have met many other amazing women who have been equally willing to teach me.

Guiding really is a family – a sisterhood.

There are so many opportunities within it to grow as a person, so many things to experience and so much to explore. You truly can do anything you put your mind to, and without becoming a Guider and joining this amazing community, I might never have realized this. I can’t now imagine life without Guiding.

Throughout my 12 years in Guiding, I have developed a passion for helping others.

This made transitioning from a Ranger to a Guider an easy decision. I enjoy being able to use what I was taught as a girl member and sharing it with my Brownies and other members in Guiding. I am a strong believer in taking small steps towards big change.

Being able to teach young girls and women the importance of self-worth – and of understanding and engaging in global and local issues – is my way of creating this big change. I am proud to be part of a great district, where all volunteers are extremely helpful and supportive of each other. This makes balancing school, work and Guiding a lot easier. I am happy to be able to continue Guiding while finishing my education, because it supports my passion for helping others and enables me to be a part of an amazing community.

Girl Member to Guider

Nicole Genge, Ontario When I became a Guider, I didn’t think there was more I could learn in this new role. After growing up in Guiding, I thought I had the whole thing pretty well handled. But transitioning from Ranger to Guider was a larger jump than I anticipated. There is a lot more to being a Guider than organizing the meetings. As a girl I got a taste of leadership, moving up through the Guiding branches, but even being a Girl Assistant could not have totally prepared me for the real deal. Being a Guider involves so much more – from interacting with parents to cutting out craft parts in advance of meetings to doing a lot of listening to girls and the other Guiders. They have so much to teach me, I realize now I was very, very wrong to not think I could learn so much more by becoming a Guider!

“

There are so many opportunities within Guiding to grow as a person, so many things to experience and so much to explore.

—Meagan Wyllie

CANADIAN GUIDER | FALL 2018

”

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CHALLENGES

“

New connections, new responsibilities and new expectations meant there were a lot of firsts for me to deal with all at the same time. —Cassey Fallis

”

New District Commissioner

Kim Rhuland, Nova Scotia

The first thing I learned early on in my new role as a District Commissioner (DC) was that this job can easily take over your life if you let it. Think about how much time just being a Unit Guider can take – and how much Guiding paraphernalia can cover your dining room table. Then multiply that by 100! So, I created some ground rules for myself, set specific times during my week for responding to non-emergency emails, and bought a pretty notebook with dividers to keep myself organized. (Isn’t it weird how the right notebook can make you feel that you can tackle just about anything?) I also gave myself a single goal for my first year – knowing that a lot of my time would be spent learning the DC role, but still wanting to end the year feeling as though I accomplished something. For me that goal was to make sure the Unit Guiders in our district are recognized for all they do.

We ended the year with 10 peer-nominated awards, so I feel pretty good about that.

Year one? Check!

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Ranger to Guider and Link Member

Cassey Fallis, Alberta I counted on Guiding as my primary outlet for support and stability while I was going through major changes in my life. Not only had I transitioned out of high school a year early to pursue university, I also started a new job and was expected to fulfill high expectations and responsibilities as a newly-independent young adult. As a Ranger, I was a member of the Alberta Council Youth Forum for two years. There were changes and transitions there, too, as we gained six new Youth Forum members, making the Youth Forum seem new in its own way. Now, as an 18-year-old adult member of Guiding, I have been encouraged by my district to take on the role as a Contact Guider and to continue attending district meetings to

CANADIAN GUIDER | FALL 2018

relay the information back to my unit. To stay connected with Guiding members my age, I also became a Link member. New connections, new responsibilities and new expectations meant there were a lot of firsts for me to deal with all at the same time – yet I found comfort knowing that I have a Guiding family that continually supports me, including through transitions. There are an incredible number of strong, extraordinary women in this organization, whom I know I can count on at any time.

Although this transition year was filled with challenges and change, I know all my firsts have pointed me in a direction that is right for me.

New to Guiding

Tiffany Webber, Nova Scotia I became a Guider last year, when my daughter joined Sparks. Later, my enthusiasm for Guiding really blossomed in the sisterhood I discovered when I attended our Guider conference. During a training there, I gained so much from the advice and knowledge of the amazing women who take time out of their busy lives to build the communities around them. And I was blown away by a Pathfinder’s wonderful presentation about her involvement with cleaning up pollution in the LaHave River. I was so inspired, I wanted to volunteer even more, and I decided to become a Brownie Guider. A few months ago, I was excited to accept the position of District Commissioner. I couldn’t wait to meet the girls and Guiders in the community and learn about the creativity and greatness growing all throughout Guiding. The experience was amazing! I attended trainings and events, including Thinking Day, Brownie Blast, Pink Explosion, and a Spark camp. I also volunteered to plan a Spark/Brownie camp and to lead a Pathfinder unit my other daughter attends – but that’s just the start! There are so many personal growth possibilities, I encourage all women to join me in seeing everything that Guiding has to offer us.

“

Surprisingly, it was my feminist values (and my enthusiasm for crafts) that convinced me to give Guiding a chance. —Marie-Ève Sauriol

”

CANADIAN GUIDER | FALL 2018

Nouvelle Guider / New Guider

Marie-Ève Sauriol, Quebec C’est en grande partie mes valeurs féministes (et mon enthousiasme pour le bricolage) qui m’ont convaincue de donner une chance au guidisme, car, dans un premier temps, je trouvais que vendre des biscuits en uniforme dans un groupe composé uniquement de filles avait quelque chose de terriblement archaïque. Ma première année auprès des Sparks m’a prouvé que j’avais tort. D’abord, les biscuits sont délicieux et leur vente constitue une noble tradition à laquelle j’ai participé avec plaisir (notamment en mangeant de nombreuses boîtes que j’étais censée vendre). J’y ai surtout découvert un nouveau visage du féminisme, celui qui prend vie autour d’une table de cuisine en planifiant des activités, celui qui nous fait rire dans les chansons comiques autour d’un feu de camp ou encore celui qui se cache dans les paillettes d’un bricolage qui nous rend fière.

Initially, I thought a group of girls in uniform selling cookies was a vision of women from another era, which didn’t have a place in the 21st Century. Surprisingly, it was my feminist values (and my enthusiasm for crafts) that convinced me to give Guiding a chance.

My first year with my Spark unit proved my initial impression to be wrong. Girl Guide cookies are delicious, and selling them is a tradition I am proud to be part of and truly enjoy (especially eating some myself.) I also discovered other facets of feminism in Guiding – one we see around a kitchen table while planning activities, one that makes us laugh during silly songs, and one we discover hidden in the glitter of a craft that makes us proud.

Hilary Feldman is a Guider in Vancouver, and Chair of the Canadian Guider Editorial Committee.

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E D U C AT I O N

Congratulations!

GGC 2018 Scholarship Recipients

The Girl Guides of Canada–Guides du Canada National Scholarship program recognizes members pursuing post-secondary education. Each year, GGC’s scholarships are

awarded to members heading to college, university or a vocational program, whether starting their first year or later in their degree, on a full-time or part-time basis.

Scholarships are just one way we support girls and women in pursuing their goals.

Actuarial Foundation of Canada National Scholarships

Grace

Thornhill, ON First Year, Science & Business Administration

Rachel

Ottawa, ON Third Year, Software Engineering

Col. Karen Ritchie Memorial National Scholarship

Veronica

Calgary, AB Fifth Year, Computer Science

Sophie

Chelsey

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Fiona

St. Jacobs, ON First Year, Human Rights & Human Diversity

Hannah

Port Morien, NS Third Year, Art & Science in Environment

Natalie

West Vancouver, BC First Year, Engineering

Barrett Family Foundation National Scholarships

Brookdale, NS Third Year, Journalism

Dr. Roberta Bondar National Scholarship

Halifax, NS Postgraduate, Medicine

Barrett Family Foundation Environmental National Scholarship

Makayla

Aylesford, NS First Year, Modern Languages, Literature & Cultures

Chloe

Victoria, BC, Postgraduate, Environmental Education & Communication

CANADIAN GUIDER | FALL 2018

GGC National Scholarships

Amy

Cassey

Redcliff, AB Second Year, Acting

Lauren

Edmonton, AB Postgraduate, Law

Edmonton, AB Second Year, Science

Megan

Kelowna, BC Third Year, Zoology

Chantel

Emilia

Dartmouth, NS Part-time Studies, Fine Arts

Bay Roberts, NL Fourth Year, Animal Science & Agriculture

Sabrina

Samantha

Greenfield Park, QC Postgraduate, Library & Information Studies

Winnipeg, MB First Year, General Studies

Gail

Sarnia, ON Part-time Studies, Education

Shelby

Chilliwack, BC Third Year, Nursing

The Masonic Foundation of Ontario National Scholarships

Hannah

Burlington, ON First Year, Art

Sarah

Burlington, ON First Year, Environmental & Earth Science

Sarah

Dundas, ON First Year, Social Science

Shelby Lynn Dundas, ON First Year, Environmental Science

Humber Glen Trefoil Guild National Scholarship

Norma Osler Education National Scholarship

Cassidy

Breanna

Geneviève

Berwick, NS First Year, Psychology

CANADIAN GUIDER | FALL 2018

Comox, BC First Year, Education

Kaitlyn

Kingston, ON Third Year, Education

Sheila Crosby Memorial Scholarship

Sierra

Pickering, ON First Year, Environmental Science

Equitable Life Insurance of Canada National Scholarship

Kingston Trefoil Guild Margaret Everett Memorial National Scholarship

Teagan

Calgary, AB First Year, Ancient & Medieval History

Kingston, ON Postgraduate, Mathematics Education

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PROFILES

Thanks to Girl Guides...

Here’s what some of our scholarship recipients had to say about Guiding’s impact on their lives:

Actuarial Foundation of Canada National Scholarships

GGC National Scholarship

Barrett Family Foundation National Scholarship

Grace

Cassey

Hannah

““

My MyGirl GirlGuide Guideleadership leadership experience experiencehas hasjump-started jump-startedmy my journey journeyas asaaleader leaderand andI Iknow knowthat I have the young girls ingirls my that Iinspired have inspired the young unit to be more than just role models, in my unit to be more than just by becoming strong femalestrong leaders role models, by becoming themselves. female leaders themselves.

”

”

““

Guiding Guidinghas hasgiven givenme meaasafe safe place placetotoopen openmyself myselftotonew newpeople, people, and andover overtime timehas hasreally reallyallowed allowedmy my confidence confidencetototake takeshape, shape,making makingme who me who I am Itoday. am today.

Advocating Advocating for female for empowerment, female empowerment, speakingspeaking up for what up I care for what about, I care andabout, respecting and respecting others are just others a fraction are just ofathe fraction valuesofGuiding the has values taught Guiding me and hasenabled taught me meand to put into enabled the rest meofto put into the rest of my mylife. life.

””

””

Would you like to support

Thank You

GGC’s National Scholarship

Scholarship Supporters

Thank you to the individuals, groups, foundations and corporations who helped make the 2018 scholarship program possible.

• Actuarial Foundation of Canada • Barrett Family Foundation • Equitable Life Insurance Company of Canada • Humber Glen Trefoil Guild • Kingston Trefoil Guild • Masonic Foundation of Ontario • Supporters of the Col. Karen Ritchie Memorial Scholarship • The Family of Sheila Crosby • The Family of Norma Osler

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““

Girl GirlGuides GuidesofofCanada Canadahas has fostered fosteredmy mylove lovefor formy mycommunity, community, increased increasedmy mycultural culturalawareness, awareness, and andencouraged encouragedme metotospeak speakout out on onsocial socialand andpolitical politicalissues issuesI Iam am passionate passionateabout. about.Without Withoutthe the continuous continuoussupport supportofofmy myGuiding Guiding mentors, mentors,and andmy mylocal, local,provincial provincial and andnational nationalGirl GirlGuide Guidecommunity, community, I Iwould wouldnot notbe bethe theconfident confidentand and courageous courageouswoman womanI Iam amtoday. today.

CANADIAN GUIDER | FALL 2018

Program to help girls and women pursue their educational goals and reach their full potential? To find out how you can contribute, email scholarship@girlguides.ca

FYI

Awards (March – June, 2018) Beaver Robyn McDonald, BC Madeline Pauschenwein, ON Fortitude Jayne Adams, ON Nancy Alberti, ON Amanda Belanger, ON Nancy Bothamley, BC Michele Challis, ON Dawn Goulden, NS Cheryl Hancock, BC Caralle Hicks, ON Tracey Hogg, NB Alexis Holmgren, AB Jane Hominick, NB Belinda Keays, ON Shirley Melanson, NB Gail Rose, BC Barbara Wood, BC Gold Maple Leaf Jill Dundas, ON Pamela Rice, QC

Photo: Wayne Eardley

Gold Merit Candice Lys, NT Honorary Life Award Carol Anderson, MB Gail Bassett, AB Kathy Cawthorpe, AB Louise Chapman, NB Adele Claydon, AB Annette Cowan, ON Sharon Fogg, ON Karen Geldart, NB Beverley Gordon, ON Audrey Hicks, NB Judy Scanland, AB Alison Speirs, BC Sylvia Staples, NB Ruth Wass, ON Eunice Watson, AB

In Memoriam GGC Tributes (March – June, 2018) Girl Guides of Canada–Guides du Canada members are frequently recognized in their communities for the wonderful work they have done during their Guiding lives. As many of them may be familiar to you, we are sharing the following in memoriam announcements: Suzanne Beard, ON Marguerite Challis, ON Evelyn Constantine, ON Irene Crofts, MB Marie Cron, NS Lily Elliott, ON Phyllis Ellis, SK Pamila Endicott, ON Gloria Gager, BC Elisabeth Hauck, QC Merilyn Hay, SK Dorothy Hearn, BC Jan Hobson, ON Fiona Hunter, ON Melanie Johrendt, ON Sheila MacDonald, ON Elizabeth McFall, AB Vera Stone, NS

A Tribute Opportunity Supporting Scholarships If you, or your unit or Trefoil Guild, would like to make a donation to the GGC National Scholarship Fund in honour of these women, we would be grateful to accept contributions.

For more information, please email us at: lynchc@girlguides.ca

Medal of Merit Sunita Mathur, ON

CANADIAN GUIDER | FALL 2018

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GOVERNANCE

Welcome New GGC Board Chair and Members We’re excited to share with you that Robyn McDonald has been elected as our new Chair of the Board. Robyn was installed in her new role on June 2 at our Annual General Meeting in Montreal.

As Chair, Robyn now leads our Board of Directors on the strategic operation of Girl Guides of Canada.

New Board Members The AGM also saw the election of four new members to our Board of Directors:

Ashita Anand joins the GGC Board as a general director. She is passionate about girl empowerment, diversity and inclusion, and opportunities for girls in STEM. Ashita’s work with Engineers and Geoscientists BC has encouraged girls to pursue careers in the diverse fields of science, engineering, technology and math. Professionally, she is a senior regulatory engineer at the British Columbia Utilities Commission.

Pictured above on a Girl Guide rafting trip (front row right, white helmet), Robyn began her Guiding journey as a Brownie and Guide. She has been a Unit Guider in Surrey, BC, for more than 15 years, joining when her daughters entered Sparks, and continuing through each branch to Rangers. She particularly enjoys showcasing all the opportunities girls can experience as they move through each branch of Guiding.

As a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CGA), Robyn has used her accounting and financial background in various positions on District Council, as well as serving in a variety of roles, such as Camping and International Adviser. This June, she completed her term as Director-Treasurer on GGC’s Board of Directors. Outside of Guiding and her professional work, Robyn is a concert and jazz musician, and enjoys travel.

“I am excited about this journey as Chair of the Board, bringing girl voice, diversity and inclusivity, and agility directly to the heart of our organization,” says Robyn. “When we put girls in the lead, their self-confidence sparks, their passion ignites, and they in turn fan the flames of encouragement in others. This is what being a catalyst for girls empowering girls is about – girls and Guiders working together in pursuit of everything they want to be, with the girls at the helm of their own decisions and choices.”

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“

I look forward to contributing to Girl Guides of Canada to help empower its current members and reach all girls in Canada who would benefit from being a part of this strong organization.”

CANADIAN GUIDER | FALL 2018

Danielle Bélanger joins the GGC Board as a general director. Through her professional work, Danielle has been actively involved with many First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities, across Canada, most recently working on major resource development projects and women’s entrepreneurship. An active volunteer, Danielle served as a member of the WAGGGS World Board and on other international and national committees, and is passionate about growing GGC’s engagement with francophone girls.

Professionally, Danielle leads national initiatives on gender equality as Director of Strategic Policy, at Status of Women Canada, in Gatineau, QC.

“

I believe that Girl Guides of Canada is an incubator for girls empowering girls. We are an organization that builds confidence, voice and leadership so that girls and women are well-positioned to advance gender equality in this country. I look forward to innovating, engaging and collaborating with partners who share our vision. When we invest in girls, we invest in our communities.”

CANADIAN GUIDER | FALL 2018

Angela Dawson joins the GGC Board as a general director. Angela began her Guiding journey at the age of 10 and has held key roles at the international level, including Chair of WAGGGS Western Hemisphere Regional Committee, WAGGGS World Board member and Chair of the Young Women’s World Forum. Angela is multilingual, speaking English, French, Spanish and German. She is passionate about Guiding and the positive impact it has on the lives of girls. Professionally, she is the Chief of Staff for Sport Canada in Gatineau, QC.

“

I am honored to have been elected as a member of the GGC Board of Directors. I know this organization has dreamt big, and is now set to make great things happen.

I look forward to helping those dreams become a reality for all our members.”

Nivitha Sritharan joins the GGC Board as the newly elected Treasurer. She is passionate about GGC’s Mission, to be a catalyst for girls empowering girls. Professionally, Nivitha is a senior accountant (CPA, CA) at Deloitte Canada LLP and has a Bachelor of Business Administration from the Schulich School of Business.

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I am excited to inspire and be inspired by a great team of women. I look forward to building on GGC’s phenomenal volunteer base to empower girls across Canada for generations to come!”

Concluding their terms on the Board are Candice Lys, Sunita Mathur, and Pamela Rice (Chair). Our new Chair, Robyn McDonald, has concluded her role as Treasurer. We thank each of them for their dedication in these roles.

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Girl Guides of Canada–Guides du Canada, 50 Merton Street, Toronto, ON M4S 1A3